Healthcare Leaders: Feeling a Bit Discombobulated?

The following is a guest blog post by Heather Haugen PhD and Inbal Vuletich from Atos Digital Health Solutions.

After passing through the security checkpoint at Milwaukee International Airport (MKE), a frazzled traveler is greeted by a low-hanging placard.  It reads: Recombobulation Area.  Clearly someone on the MKE management team with a sense of humor was acknowledging the fact that many travelers become a bit discombobulated as they proceed through security and that many probably need an area where they can get their collective psyche back in order.

The idea of a Recombobulation Area seemed especially appropriate as we returned from a healthcare conference on Lake Geneva where a wide spectrum of thought leaders presented and discussed their experiences from the past decade.  The group’s shared conclusion was that no one could have prepared for or predicted the level of change experienced in the healthcare environment over the past decade.

The changes we discussed encompass every aspect of how care is delivered, from EHRs to ERPs. Healthcare leaders navigate clinical, financial, and compliance hurdles daily – often all tangled together. Clinicians face new technologies, new workflows, new regulations and standards (that often conflict), new reimbursement requirements, new governance models, and something new… coming soon.  How can we expect better care in such a tumultuous environment?

During this time of dramatic change, it is important to identify a way to measure progress (or lack thereof) so that we can stay focused on our goals and desired outcomes.  One of the best mechanisms for assessing the impact of our work in healthcare is the use of data.  A simple research plan such as the one below can be used to assess the impact of changes – and could possibly even elucidate new ideas.

  • Research question: An overarching question to define the effort
    • For example:
      1. How effective are EHR alerts in preventing medication errors?
  • Specific aims: Specific objectives that address the overarching question
    • For example:
      1. To characterize the differences in medication errors before and after EHR implementation
      2. To understand the factors that increase alert fatigue
  • Methodology: How to address each specific goal. This step often requires some collaboration with a statistician or someone with research experience.
    • Define the sample population
    • Define the data elements to collect
    • Determine appropriate timeframes
    • Data analysis plan
  • Results: The presentation of the analyzed data
  • Conclusions: Discussion of the results and their meaning. What are the actionable steps for the organization?

Healthcare has evolved significantly to embrace new advancements in technology, but the challenges we continue to face need to be assessed objectively.  Thus far, our research has focused on the factors that influence adoption of new technology.  It has been fascinating and the outcomes caused us to consider new ideas and better approaches. Our EHR research published in Beyond Implementation remains relevant and valuable to healthcare leaders.  We are committed to helping healthcare organizations shift from the tumultuous set of ongoing changes to a research-based approach to ensure ongoing process improvement and discipline for technology adoption.  Our colleagues’ experiences, the rich research and data that exist today, and the stories of successes and challenges in healthcare organizations provide us with a critical Recombobulation Area. We must take the time to pause and learn from objective data and research methodologies to ensure that all this change focuses on improving patient care.

About the Authors:
Heather Haugen is the Chief Science Officer for Digital Health Solutions for Atos. She is also the author of Beyond Implementation: A Prescription for the Adoption of Healthcare Technology.

Inbal Vuletich serves as the editor for Atos Digital Health Solution publications.

About Atos Digital Health Solutions
Atos Digital Health Solutions helps healthcare organizations clarify business objectives while pursuing safer, more effective healthcare that manages costs and engagement across the care continuum. Our leadership team, consultants, and certified project and program managers bring years of practical and operational hospital experience to each engagement. Together, we’ll work closely with you to deliver meaningful outcomes that support your organization’s goals. Our team works shoulder-to-shoulder with your staff, sharing what we know openly. The knowledge transfer throughout the process improves skills and expertise among your team as well as ours. We support a full spectrum of products and services across the healthcare enterprise including Population Health, Value-Based Care, Security and Enterprise Business Strategy Advisory Services, Revenue Cycle Expertise, Adoption and Simulation Programs, ERP and Workforce Management, Go-Live Solutions, EHR Application Expertise, as well as Legacy and Technical Expertise. Atos is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

   

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